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Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg cut a $20 million check to Senate Majority PAC, which works with Senate Democrats, at the start of the month, bringing his total spending on the 2018 midterms to at least $100 million and making him one of the cycle’s biggest overall donors. | Cheryl Senter/AP photo

Liberal groups working to retake the House and Senate outraised their GOP counterparts in early October, new disclosures showed Thursday, as enthusiasm continued to translate into massive piles of cash for the Democratic Party in the final stretch of midterm campaigning.

GOP fundraisers said in recent weeks that the battle over Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation galvanized their donors and gave the party momentum. But the largest Democratic committees and super PACs still outstripped them, raising $82.5 million in the first 17 days of October, compared to $73.9 million for their Republican counterparts, disclosures to the Federal Election Commission showed.

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Democratic and Republican groups unleashed more than $130 million in spending each during that time as they flooded the airwaves and voters’ mailboxes.

But while Democrats showed they could continue to rake in money as November nears, Republican groups had significantly more cash socked away for the final stretch. They started the last three weeks of the election with $139.8 million in cash on hand, while Democrats had $107.9 million.

The last-minute rush among campaigns to raise money is an October tradition during election years, but this year’s midterms have taken on outsized importance to many donors on both the left and the right.

Democrats, who often struggle to keep pace with Republicans in the money race, have seen both small and large checks flood campaigns and outside groups, a trend that showed no sign of stopping in early October. Donors have jumped at the prospect of breaking Republicans’ unified control of Washington.

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“Democrats know the stakes are high, and there is an unprecedented level of energy and enthusiasm,” said Jeb Fain, spokesman for House Majority PAC, which is aligned with House Democrats. “We’re heading into Election Day in stronger shape than ever.”

POLITICO analyzed fundraising and outlays for 10 of the largest election spenders: the four party committees linked to House and Senate candidates and the four corresponding super PACs, plus the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee. This analysis did not include individual candidates’ or other super PAC fundraising.

Thursday was the final deadline for groups to disclose a snapshot of their donors and overall fundraising and spending before Election Day, though they still must file additional information on their spending up until the election. The filings covered a two-and-a-half-week period between Oct.1-17.

Among those giving sky-high sums was former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, one of the biggest contributors disclosed in Thursday’s reports. Bloomberg cut a $20 million check to Senate Majority PAC, which works with Senate Democrats, at the start of the month, bringing his total spending on the 2018 midterms to at least $100 million and making him one of the cycle’s biggest overall donors.

“Mike believes that this is the most important midterm elections of our lifetimes,” said Bloomberg aide Howard Wolfson. “It is critically important that we flip control of Congress to provide oversight and accountability over a reckless and out-of-control president.”

In addition to Bloomberg, Democrats benefited from the largesse of Bain Capital Co-Chairman Joshua Bekenstein and his wife, Anita, who gave a combined $3 million to party super PACs in the final days of the campaign season. Banking billionaire Herbert Sandler, Haim Saban of Power Rangers fame and builder John Fish each gave at least $1 million to Democratic groups.

Republican candidates in both the House and Senate have been outgunned by their Democratic counterparts in many parts of the country, meaning they are leaning heavily on GOP super PACs and committees, which do not face the same fundraising restrictions as candidates.

Even though the five major committees and super PACs associated with Republicans raised about $9 million less during the period than their Democratic counterparts, GOP fundraisers said the early October battle over Kavanaugh’s confirmation gave them extra juice heading into November.

President Donald Trump’s choice for the Supreme Court faced accusations of sexual misconduct from his high school and college days, leading almost all Senate Democrats to vote against him.

“Republican donors got massively fired up based on the underhanded tactics employed by the Democrats during the Kavanaugh nomination process. This included some donors who had been dormant for years,” said Chris Pack, spokesperson for Senate Leadership Fund, which is aligned with Senate Republicans.

The Kavanaugh proceedings “really reminded people that there are consequences to elections,” Gaylord Hughey, a Republican bundler and donor based in east Texas, said in a recent interview. “There are folks calling me whowant to give money, there are folks calling me who want to get involved. And what the Democrats’ narrative is — I think it’s scared people.”

Republicans were boosted by a handful of multi-million-dollar givers, including financial executive Charles Schwab and his wife, Helen, who gave a combined $10 million to the party’s House and Senate super PACs. Stephen Schwarzman, chairman of the Blackstone Group, gave $4 million during the reporting period, and hedge-fund manager Paul Singer and oil entrepreneur Paul Foster also gave big sums.